Parenting

“Wait! Don’t Discipline Her!”

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He that justifieth the wicked,
and he that condemneth the just,
even they both are abomination to the Lord.
Proverbs 17:15

Does it scald you to hear that a just person was persecuted for something they didn’t do? When you learn that an innocent person was punished for a crime they didn’t do are you tempted to go on a rampage? It’s not fair. We want justice.

But now, let me ask you moms…are you just as adamant about seeing to it that the wrong that your child does IS punished? It’s the other side of this proverb – “He that justifies the wicked is abomination to the Lord. “Wicked” is the description of our heart according to Jeremiah 17:9 – The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? When we overlook the wicked, sinful things our child does, God hates it.

You may think you’re innocent of this parental sin, but will you consider one more question –

What do you do when your spouse steps in to discipline the wrong your child has done?  Our protective, mothering heart wants to jump in and intervene for our child, does it not? We hate to see them get a spanking, or anything that might cause pain or hardship. It’s tempting to step in and make an excuse for them. We may suggest they be given another chance. In so doing, we are justifying the wicked! I might add that we’re also stepping into the realm of showing disrespect to our husband’s authority and demeaning his leadership in our home. At the moments when we want to stop the discipline from happening, we must think the truth – that the wickedness needs to be dealt with, or we’ll be sinning against the Lord.

I can remember times when one of our girls would push the limit and disobey, and would earn the discipline that was promised if they crossed that line. My husband would step in and send them to their room. They knew what was coming, and so did I. They went to their room, and I headed to mine – at the other end of the house. I had to remove myself from the situation in order to be able to handle it. I would go and pray for both my husband and my daughter as the discipline took place.

If you’re asking, “What if the husband is going to give unfair punishment?” I’d answer by saying, make a loving request. You can be like Daniel and ask a question PRIVATELY. Asking him a question about the discipline in front of your child is again destroying his leadership. Go into another room and talk quietly. Ask a question. “Do you think this deserves the punishment you’re giving?” “Could we pray before you spank her?” Ask sweetly, then accept whatever he decides.

Remember that the principle of disciplining the wickedness is in order to turn your child’s heart to God. This reminds them of their need for Christ. To avoid the dealing with their sin, is to keep them from seeing their own wicked heart and their need for cleansing. That in itself can help us understand why the Lord wants us to let our child bear the consequence of their sin.

Don’t become guilty yourself by justifying the wrong your child does. Instead, make sure it’s dealt with. The Lord loves that and He loves your child…even more than you do! The reward and blessing will follow!

Are you ever tempted to defend the wrong your child does? When is it hardest for you?

With love,

Dinner · dinner in 30 minutes

Philly Beef Steak On the Table in Under Thirty Minutes

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Not every supper has to be meat, potatoes, and vegetable, right? Sometimes a juicy, cheesy, beef sandwich at supper is a welcomed treat to both the cook and those who partake! I saw Pioneer Woman make this sandwich and thought I’d give it my spin. The results were delicious and very quick!

15c232b2-8373-4956-83f4-3137bbf89f72_zpsjedrmua0Here’s how I put the sandwich together in under 30 minutes:

Ingredients:

Deli Roast Beef
Sweet Onion
Peppers
Butter
Rolls
Cheddar Cheese

Melt butter in a skillet. Place in butter long enough to warm. Remove and keep warm while you add onions and peppers to the skillet. Saute until vegetables are tender.
Spray rolls with cooking spray and place open side down in skillet. Toast until lightly browned.
Place meat inside roll. Top with peppers and onions. Place a slice of cheese on top of onions. Place on a baking sheet and broil in the oven until the cheese is melted.

I added potato salad and cantaloupe to round out the meal. It was so yummy, and a nice break from my standard kind of meat and potato dinner.

 

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What do you do to break up the routine at suppertime?

With love from my country kitchen,

 

Uncategorized

The Secret Trick Your Stand Mixer Can Perform

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A friend of mine shared her tip for chopping chicken in a flash. Ready?

You put the cooked meat in the mixer, turn it on, and in 30 seconds it’s all shredded.

I wouldn’t use this method if you want the meat chopped, like for chicken salad, but I did this for these Chicken Enchiladas and the consistency was perfect. It would work great for pork that was being used for sliders or sandwiches.

This is a real time saver! Thanks, Angie! What will you make with your shredded meat?

Stay refreshed!

Marriage · Parenting

How to Survive and Thrive in the Empty Nest

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When I first wrote the post about taking our last daughter off to college and us becoming Empty Nesters, it had just happened. I was right in the thick of it all at the time, climbing my way up the tree and flinging myself over the edge of the nest. I was weepy, happy, excited, sad, melancholy and apprehensive. Those emotions could come and go at a moment’s notice.

I’ll never forget going to church the first time after Alli was gone. I was alone in the pew. My husband was preaching and my girls were gone. It felt very empty…until the time of greeting one another. A little girl came over to me, one of my “little friends.” She wrapped her arms around my waist and squeezed me so hard. The Lord knew I needed that, and it was at that moment that He spoke to my heart and answered the question that I’d been asking Him since we’d dropped Alli off at school,

“What Now, Lord?”

The answer He spoke to my heart was to minister to younger women and girls. I knew He wanted me to pour my life into others. So I began, I believe even that week. I asked the mom of that little girl if she could come over and bake cookies with me at my home. She did – several times. I also had other children over to bake, read, and just hang out with me. Then I began with women as well, getting together to have coffee and pray, mentoring younger women using good books as our guide. The Lord just opened up so many doors and opportunities. I think I’ve stayed busier during these years than I did when my girls were home!

God answered my prayers, giving me a way to invest my life for eternity, and I love it! So, now on the other side of the Empty Nest, I can look back and remember how I got here. Let me share some practical things for you to do so you can not only survive, but thrive when you are an Empty Nester.

  • To stay in touch with your child, but not to smother them, send them a text each morning. Send a verse you’re praying for them, or an encouragement for their day.
  • Do something fun with your spouse, like getting away for a couple days, at the very beginning of the time your child leaves. It will make the break easier to deal with if you’re not staring at their empty bedroom.
  • Make time with your husband intentional. Do things together and enjoy the freedom you now possess! Just going out during the day when my husband made visits was special to me, because I’d home schooled for 20 years, and couldn’t do that very often. Now I had the chance to join him, and it was great! Maybe for you it will mean getting to run to Sonic after prayer meeting or doing your grocery shopping together. These years should knit your hearts together like your early days of marriage! I like the suggestion of one reader to attend a Couples’ Retreat. The Wilds or other similar Christian camps provide a beautiful setting, fun times and spiritual encouragement for your marriage.
  • Think on what is true – Phil. 4:8 – The Lord intended for children to grow up and leave home. This is the right thing. Don’t allow yourself to wallow in sadness. This is a new season, and one to be enjoyed.
  • Ask the Lord to give you a new ministry; something that will count for eternity. You now have extra time on your hands; use it wisely. Is there a child at church you could pour your life into? Does a young mom need encouragement? Who needs the Gospel that you could do a Bible Study with so that you might share the Good News? Is there a ministry at church you now have time for?
  • Relish the time to dig deep into God’s Word. If you are able to stay home during the Empty Nest Years, as I have, you’ll enjoy extra time to do Bible studies, pray and work on Scripture memory. Determine to make this a spiritually rich season of your life. You’ll have plenty stored in your heart for the times when you may be tempted to be down or sad about your children being gone. Let your Heavenly Father teach you and draw you nearer to His heart.

We missed our girls, but we did indeed have so much fun when the Empty Nest happened that I believe Alli got a little offended! That’s not really a bad thing. Our lives need to be focused first on the Lord, next on our mate, THEN on our children.

To you young moms, keep your husband first right now, so when your children fly from the nest, you won’t be strangers with that man sitting across the table from you at dinner. It will happen sooner than you think! And when it does happen, you two will be so in love, there will be a twinkle in your eye just behind those tears! Don’t just survive, thrive!

From my empty, but contented nest,

baking · cat · mentoring ministry

Beauty, Bosom Friends, Baking and Bad Milk

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Here’s a peek back at my week:

The unedited view I saw from my back porch…
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I am blessed that all I do is step out my back door to see such beauty! I never tire of it!

My favorite picture of Liza from the week. I hope you can stand the cuteness!

wpid-wp-1439241007579.jpegWhere I’ve been…
Carter on Main in Elizabethton, TN.  Wow!  It’s beautiful in there!
We had a lunch date with dear friends we don’t get to see often. This was a good place to visit,
since it was quiet and such a lovely setting.
The food was very good, too!  I will definitely be returning!

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What I’m loving…

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The dear ladies standing with me here have become so very special to me during the weeks of our mentoring ministry.  Apples of Gold is a greater blessing to me every single week! It’s the joy of my heart to have my house full of these  mentors and the young women every Saturday!  We are having a blast, learning much and having the best kind of fellowship!  Only two more weeks remain, and I’m pretty sure we’re all sad at the thought!

What I’ve been baking…
In truth, this is only one item of many that I’ve baked in the past week, due to Apples of Gold
new neighbors, and company, but it’s one of the prettiest!
This is Southern Living’s Strawberry Sheet Cake.  I made the layered version last year,
but decided to simplify it this time around for the Apples of Gold group.
It was yummy!

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The cake above almost met with disaster!  When I was making the icing during our cooking class, I opened the heavy cream that was purchased the night before (and had an expiration date of September), only to find MOLD on the top of the cream!  Ahhhh!  Thank the Lord, my husband was home and was able to run to the store and replace it with a fresh one! I had to  finish the icing just before we ate lunch, but it all worked out fine. Whew!  Cooking disasters do happen!  I think it’s a good lesson when these things take place during our cooking class.  My response to it is another lesson – Yikes!  That’s a scary thought!  But it is true!  If all else had failed, I would have just topped the cake with Cool whip and strawberries. We HAD to have that cake for dessert!  But it did all work out, and was a good lesson and memory for us all!

There’s my week!  What have you been up to? Anyone else have a near cooking disaster story?  I’d love to hear!

With love from my country porch,